Read the complete TRESE #1

UNDER THE INFLUENCE: Where we reveal the sources that inspired and influenced this Trese mystery.

It seems like every generation (and some cultures) have their version of the Lady in White. In Manila, one of the most popular urban legends is the White Lady of Balete Drive. Almost the entire length of that road is lined with balete trees, which according to folklore, is a favorite place of elementals and spirits.

The story of the White Lady of Balete Drive has many variations, depending on who’s telling it. Since the 1950s, people have talked about a lady in white that seen hitchhiking on that road. If a driver does stop and let her in, she would direct them to a particular house and would vanish soon after. Somehow, the driver later discovers that the lady did live in that house but supposedly died many years before that. In other stories, the driver would not stop for the lady in white. As he drives down the road, he’ll happen to glance in his rear view mirror and suddenly the see the lady in his backseat. This would supposedly cause the driver to panic and get into an accident.

As mentioned, some stories have said that the lady in white is the spirit of someone who once lived on that street. Couple of years ago, I heard another story that said the lady is actually a diwata, an fairy-creature that dwells in balete trees.

"Are all these creatures in your story inspired from Philipino folklore, or did you made them all up ? I don't know much about the Philippines." Wood (from France),woood@hotmail.fr

Hi Wood! Thanks for dropping by and reading TRESE. Yes, all of the creatures that I used in the story are based on Philippine folklore and myth, while the story of the "white lady on Balete Drive" has been an urban legend since the 1950s.

Hello to everyone else who dropped by! TRESE is currently only available here in Manila, Philippines.

As soon as we can figure out how to accept orders from abroad, we'll announce it here. Thanks for asking.

And thanks to the people who pointed out my typos. (Although some of the grammatical errors were intentional... my attempt to simulate certain dialects.)

DDDDAAAAAANNNNGGGGG!!!! i want a copy! i want a copy!!! i founf your link via my idol, neil gaiman's blog. I am tickled at the prospect of a true-blue Pinoy Folklore inspired komiks. Ang luffett pare! i live new jersey, estados unidos and it would really mean a lot to me if i can get hold of a copy of your komiks. keep up the awesome job, man! mabuhay ka!

I, too, am wondering about international purchase. I live in the US, found you through Neil Gaimen, and would love to help support you as an artist. :) I'm also wondering if you're familiar with RSS feeds, and if you've got an XML page set up to feed from.

hello, i have loved Trese since someone's reported it on our Comparative Literature class. Uhmm... I'd also like to introduce this to my workmates, can i download the comics and email it on our Outlook? Of course, I`ll link back and credit. Unfortunately we only use intranet so my workmate won`t be able to access the link on our desks. Not the whole thing of course, just some pages to interest them. :D May I?

Glad you liked TRESE. :)And yes, you have my permission to share TRESE #1 to your officemates. Giving them the link to the site is appreciated. (I just hope I don't find pirated copies of TRESE in Quiapo. Okay?)

I read the TRESE stories online and made a reservation at Fully Booked Gateway Mall for a copy. The sales clerk said there is only one release of the TRESE Comics and their price is i think P100+. I thought the price is P30? I want to collect all of the TRESE comics from issue #1 to the recent issue release.

How come the sales clerk of Fully Booked Gateway Mall branch said that the distributors only have one issue released and nothing else. but checking it online at this site...there were already seven issues. =<

Do you have an estimated release date for the 3rd volume of Trese? and will the story really ends on the 3rd volume?

All my friends and officemates love the first 2 volumes and is so eager to read the next one.

they kept on asking to many question to me about the characters and some side questions like; who are the kambals?who and where is Alexandra's father?what are the tribes in Trese's storylineWhat is the history of Trese's family?

there are so many questions and im very happy that my colleagues are asking about it. All of us now have an individual copy of the 2 volumes.

We would love to hear some comments from you=>

More power to you and Kajo and to all the people behind Trese. We're all proud of you guys.

I this black-white comic book on a Natn'l Bookstore shelf one boring day and decided to check it out... turned out reallllyyy great... I was actually a month pregnant that time and upon reading the 'embrace of the unwanted', i vowed never to abort my baby.. ehehe,, ayokong maging tiyanak 'to noh!

anyway, i'm waiting for the 3rd book.. when will it be?

Jah bless and more power to TRESE, the Kambals, Mr Budjet and Mr Kajo andthe rest of the gang!

Your comics really rocks!!! My balikbayan cousins stayed on a weeks vacation in our place and the next day i bought them books 1 and 2..each to all of them. Now they're back in the states and telling me to buy them the 3rd book as soon as its available.

They said they pretty much like the stories and would love to read more of the folklore stories.

They even showed teh comics to their foreign classmates and like the comics too.

Glad you interested in picking up TRESE. They are available in National Bookstore, Powerbooks, and Fully Booked, as well as these stores...http://tresekomix.blogspot.com/2009/01/tracking-down-trese.html

Hi, can't help it. But my buddies just created a TRESE group page. Oh gosh, the series are great...it's what I and my buddies have been looking for for years!!!! National bookstore here in our city ran out of the comic books and we ordered some copies (for my cousin who wants a copy on her own) from the Manila branch.

sir, i saw your comic book at the national bookstore, and i was so amazed, i haven't read the whole story of trese yet but i saw several pages of it and i love the artwork, i wonder if i can submit a sample of my work